Have you ever walked onto the set of a movie?  Now I can say that I have.  It’s a bit of a surreal experience.  To know and see for yourself that this place, depicted on screen, is really real is something which sticks with you.  This is especially true if you know and love the movie in question.  Here’s my experience walking onto a movie set in Goblin Valley State Park in Utah.

If you’ve ever seen the movie Galaxy Quest, then you might know what I’m referring to.  I saw the blockbuster Star Trek parody when I was younger and the movie itself was new.  It was hilarious.  The alien landscape where the actor-crew acquires a new beryllium sphere really stood out to me.  It didn’t seem real.  Yet, I learned later that it is real and where it’s located: Goblin Valley.

So, I put that park on a list of places where I’d like to visit but didn’t think I would.  However, that all changed here recently.  With it being only about a day trip from where I currently live, suddenly the visit didn’t seem so unrealistic after all.  So, we make the trek through sparsely populated areas out to the park.

Even upon arriving nearby, I couldn’t tell where it was.  The mushroom-shaped rocks are well hidden from the road.  Plus, you must follow a wide circle to arrive at the gate.  However, it was worth it.

Given the heat of the afternoon and evening, we didn’t feel like pursuing deep hiking so we stuck with the first valley of goblins.  It comes with an overlook.  This park is very different from many other parks.  Those other parks have established hiking trails which you do not stray from.  This park lets you walk down in the mushrooms at your leisure.  It was fun to wind our own path and check things out from multiple angles.  We thoroughly enjoyed the experience and highly recommend it.

I even discovered parts of the park which, when framed in a camera, didn’t resemble the area at all.  It felt like I was looking at another park (or planet) entirely.  In addition to Epsilon Gorniar 2 of Galaxy Quest, I also found what looks like a piece of Tatooine right in the middle of the valley.

The space travel continues with this park.  Would you have thought that several of those mushroom-shaped formations were just out of view?  This photo has an entirely different desert view.  One might think that you could see areas surrounding Mos Espa or Mos Eisley as depicted in the Star Wars movies.

I came for photos of Goblin Valley so I set up my tripod and waited for sunset.  It did not disappoint.  I managed to walk away with some stunning photos.  Even my last minute luck nailed me something beautiful.

On my way out, I simply couldn’t resist stopping for a quick shot of the iconic formation of Goblin Valley known as the Three Sisters.  With such a short hike, I knew I had time for something good.  However, I didn’t count on walking away with this.

Overall, this trip to Goblin Valley was extra profitable for me as a landscape photographer.  I came back with several more landscape photos than I expected I would.  Also, now I want to go back and check out more of the park during cooler temperatures.  There’s more awaiting me there especially with the recent land annex this year.  So, I know I’ll be back.

What do you think of this alien landscape at Goblin Valley State Park?  Did you know the place exists?  Have you been there before?  Share your thoughts in the comments section below.